A new developer diary published by Victory Games indicates that the team don’t seem to think very much of Command & Conquer 4, the last game in the series that they’ve been tasked with rebooting.

“The first thing we said was, we need to kind of wash the stain of C&C 4 away,” said lead designer Samuel Bass to GameInformer.

“To do that, you really have to get back to your roots, back to what it was made your fans your fans in the first place.”

Bass also explained that those fans were after elements such as base construction “that doesn’t feel like a chore; harvesting that doesn’t require your full attention; and a focus on fast action and lots of viable strategies”.

The new Command & Conquer is set to be a F2P affair powered by the Frostbite engine. Here’s an early preview video.

Source: GameInformer via VG247

Victory Games have revealed that they are looking to revisit other Command & Conquer settings in the future, if their free-to-play relaunch of Command & Conquer is successful. Speaking to VG247, senior development director Tim Morten confirmed that the team also had plans to explore entirely new fictions within the universe.

“At the outset we’re starting out in the Generals universe with an initial set of three factions,” said Morten. “I think the first things you’ll see come from us will be additional maps, additional game modes and additional generals to help tailor play to your own style. Over time we’ll add a couple of new factions. We’re already talking about different mini-campaigns, and story-based modes that might appeal to players who are used to that more campaign-based experience.”

“Longer term we’re looking at revisiting other C&C universes such as Tiberium and Red Alert, and even exploring completely new fictions. The vision is expected to continue for years and even decades down the line.”

Source: VG247

The Command & Conquer franchise has had a bit of a rough time lately — first announced as “the next big BioWare franchise” in the name of Command & Conquer Generals 2 and then suddenly relegated to a free-to-play affair to be handled by EA-created-BioWare subsidiary Victory Games, it can be hard to keep up.

Well, EA_CIRE has taken to the official Command & Conquer blog to hit back at the theory that what they’re making isn’t a “true” C&C game. “We all have the big picture in our mind where we want to go with this new Command & Conquer, making a great RTS game that can wear the C&C logo with pride. Yes, the direction is new and many probably would say that this is not a ‘true’ C&C, just as many did when the original Generals came out,” reads the blog post.

“For me, Command & Conquer isn’t just about Tiberium, Kane and the crazy Yuri. It’s been more about fun to play, engaging, and high quality RTS experiences. And that’s what we’re aiming to deliver, just in a different way.

The post also revealed that the beta will start in the first half of 2013, and be “the longest running beta phase in franchise history”.

Source: Command and Conquer via VG247

The artist game formerly known as Command & Conquer: Generals 2 and now just as ‘Command & Conquer’ instead has confirmed — in a sort of backwards manner — that it won’t be ditching single player just because it’s free-to-play.

“Our intention with Command & Conquer is to create a triple-A experience. And by that I mean we’re using Frostbite tech, we’re using very high-end graphics,” said EA’s Frank Gibeau. “Does that mean it’s not going to have single-player? No, that’s something we’ve obviously heard loud and clear that is important to people.

“The beauty of free-to-play, is that we can adjust and adapt to what we’re hearing as opposed to, ‘I’m sorry, it’s two months from ship and it is what it is.’”

The game will still be set in the era of the previous 2003 Generals game for its single-player, with the goal eventually being to bring in units from Red Alert and Tiberium Sun and “to have some stuff fans have been asking for, for years.”

Source: Polygon

EA have announced a new free-to-play online strategy game, titled Command & Conquer. What an original title, I know! They have also said that it will include the previously announced game Command & Conquer Generals 2, which BioWare was said to be developing but now appears to be folded into this new free-to-play reboot. There are more details over at their site, where they will also urge you to sign up for the beta. Check out the trailer below, and tell us what you think. Is this the next Command & Conquer game you were hoping for?